VIJAYAWADA: Putting an end to all speculation, Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan confirmed that he will be contesting the Pithapuram Assembly constituency in the ensuing elections. He made the announcement while addressing the party cadre during the 11th JSP Formation Day celebrations held in Mangalagiri on Thursday.
He also clarified that he is yet to take a decision regarding contesting the Lok Sabha polls. “I have been asked to contest both MLA and MP seats. But my heart is set on contesting the Assembly elections. I will discuss the matter with the party elders and then take a decision,” he explained.
As part of an alliance with the TDP and the BJP, the Jana Sena will be contesting 21 Assembly and two Lok Sabha constituencies. Earlier, the party had announced candidates for six Assembly segments.
During his interaction with members of the party’s social media wing, the actor-politician said Pulaparthi Ramanjaneyulu will contest from Bhimavaram and Srinivasulu from Tirupati. A TDP candidate will be fielded for the Gajuwaka seat, he added.
In 2019, Pawan had unsuccessfully contested the Bhimavaram and Gajuwaka constituencies. There was speculation that he would contest the elections from Bhimavaram this year, too, given the Kapu vote bank.
However, the JSP chief preferred to enter the poll fray from Pithapuram, which is also a Kapu-dominant constituency. Sixty per cent of the voters in Pithapuram belong to the Kapu community, followed by Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Backward Classes (BCs).
Stating that he was asked to contest the Pithapuram seat in 2014 itself when the party was floated, Pawan said he did not do the same for some reasons. “Now, I have decided to contest from Pithapuram, which happens to be the birth place of my Guru Sripada Sri Vallabhudu. It is also a Shaktipeetham,” he noted.
Pawan is likely to face Kakinada MP Vanga Geetha, who has been appointed as the YSRC in-charge for Pithapuram Assembly seat. She was elected from Pithapuram as an MLA in 2009. Following the JSP chief ’s announcement, the TDP cadre staged demonstration demanding ticket for SVSN Varma, the party’s Pithapuram in-charge. He had successfully contested from the seat in 2014 as an independent. He later joined the TDP. Varma is the only non- Kapu to be elected from the constituency.
Expressing his resentment, Verma said, “I will take a call on the next course of action after holding discussions with my followers.” Meanwhile, film director Ram Gopal Varma took to X and announced that he too would be contesting from Pithapuram Assembly constituency in the elections.